Germany rejects Tehran attack as 'escalation'

CAIRO – 8 January 2020: German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer condemned on Wednesday an Iranian missile attacks on Iraqi bases housing coalition military, and called on Tehran to end a "spiral" of conflict.

"The German government strongly condemns this aggression... it is now primarily up to the Iranians to refrain from further escalation," the German minister told broadcaster ARD.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said the attacks were a "slap in the face"

"Last night, a slap in the face was delivered," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a speech broadcast live on state television.

His remarks came after he had vowed "severe revenge" for a US drone strike that killed one of Iran's top military commanders near Baghdad international airport last week.